TheGreatCourses.com (formerly The Teaching Company) offers over 600 college-level courses taught by professors available for purchase on CD, DVD, or digital formats. Each course contains on average 12-24 lectures with each lecture running 30 minutes to an hour in length. Courses are accessible via online video and audio streaming or customers can choose to purchase them in various formats including CD, DVD, audio and video downloads, and transcript books. Course prices range from $69.95 to $529.95. The courses cover a wide range of topics, primarily targeting adult lifelong learners, but also include a series for high school students. Courses are developed in conjunction with the professor specifically for recording, and Professors must first pass auditions that are screened by The Great Courses' customers.

Courses are categorised by topic area, best sellers, new releases and sale items. Users can also filter by audio or video courses. The course page gives access to the different purchase options available, a course overview, the instructor bio, course reviews, and a Q&A board. Users can also select to send the course as an e-gift, or add it to their wish-list.

These courses do not offer schedules, homework, exams, or certificates.

Pros - Large library of high quality courses
Lectures given by selected professors from top universities
Courses available in numerous formats
Lectures designed &recorded specifically for self directed learning
Course reviews
Q&A boards

Cons - Courses can be expensive
No quizzes, assignments or exams
No certificates

Courses offered by TheGreatCourses.com differ from MOOCs in that they do not provide any form of assessment or accreditation options, nor are they free. However, for learners looking to simply develop their knowledge in a particular field, these courses offer a high quality learning experience.